GARDEN GROVE – Orange was going to score its first points of the football season sooner or later after being shut out in its first two games.
The Panthers scored their first points Thursday night. They’ll have to wait, though, for their first win.
Santiago running back Junior Ortega rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:29 remaining to help the Cavaliers outlast the Panthers, 21-17, in a nonleague game at Garden Grove.
Santiago pushed its record to 3-0, with the three wins coming by a combined 13 points.
“You’ll take a win any time you can get it,” Cavaliers coach Brandon Croft said. “The kids are playing as hard as they can … it feels great. All the work (the kids) have put in is paying off.”
Ortega capped an eight-play drive with his short touchdown run. He set the score up with a 20-yard run. He finished with 10 rushes for 80 yards.
The Santiago defense forced a fumble, a punt, and a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.
Orange (0-3) made great strides on offense. Jesus Schettino had 90 yards rushing, while Ty Cole ran for 68, and Johnny Sedano rushed for 49.
Sedano’s 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the Panthers’ first score of the season. Cole added a touchdown in the third.
Contact the writer: amorales@ocregister.com
